Snape's Reward
by NaginiFay
Summary: After the events at the top of the Astronomy Tower, Severus Snape feels he has the right to a little self indulgence. Too bad the object of his affections thinks he is the most disgusting male she has ever met.
1. Prologue

Prologue

A bedraggled phoenix flew swiftly through the night sky, searching for some sign of the one who had caused the death of his master. Something prompted him to inspect a bleak mountainside more closely. He made out the ruins of what had once been a fine castle, built into the mountain. Fawkes went to ground, sensing that there was evil in this place, though whether the evil he sought, he could not tell. Finally his search was rewarded as he found a disguised window ledge. He had no trouble seeing through the spell that hid it, and there was a hole in the ancient curtain. He peered through.

Two sinister figures stood facing each other in the dim light cast by a single candle on a table. One wore a hooded cloak. The other had long black hair, a hooked nose, and a sallow face. It was Severus Snape. A voice issued from beneath the first man's hood.

"Well done, Severus".

"Thank you, my Lord."

"The old fool is dead at last. His tender heart led him to believe he could trust you, and it was you who killed him."

"I was quite glad to do it too" Severus said blandly "Always setting me useless tasks, forcing me to listen to long rambling moral tales, and that infuriating, _twinkling_ gaze following me wherever I went!"

"I remember" said the one Severus called 'my Lord'

"He was good for one thing though".

"What was that?"

"Having a victim in mind is necessary when one is inventing one's own curses. Hate is quite useful in the Dark Arts. I've spent long hours thinking of ways to torment and kill Albus Dumbledore," Severus' tone changed to one of regret "and there wasn't time for any of it, Master."

The Dark Lord gave a high, cold laugh.

When he was finished, he spoke. "I reward handsomely those who serve me well, as you know. I believe I know what you want, but I want you to ask me for it first."

Severus knelt down at the Dark Lord's feet, his long black hair swinging forward to hide his dead, black eyes. "I ask that you spare the Malfoys. They have been incompetent, but not unfaithful."

"Very well" the man said in a bored tone "Anything else?"

Severus spoke hesitantly, as if he was surprised at his own daring. "Nagini," he said softly.

"I didn't quite catch that" Severus' voice was slightly ragged as he repeated himself, "I want Nagini."

"Ah" the first man said softly, thoughtfully. "I have seen you looking at her. You all do, of course. She is such a beautiful creature, a woman at times, and a snake at others, who would not? But to actually ask for her is a more daring request than you know…" He paused for a moment.

"She has been lonely lately," he murmured, almost as if to himself. "The servant who killed one of my greatest enemies, and the servant who made my rebirth possible…how…appropriate."

Severus looked up eagerly at the man he called Master. "Yes, Severus, you shall marry Nagini."

Lord Voldemort opened his curtained window and stared out vacantly at the stars. He had indeed known what Snape would ask. The man's mind was layered and complex, but some things were obvious. Snape was nearly passionless, but he was still a man, with a man's weaknesses. He would exploit that weakness, and stop Nagini pestering him for a husband. Two birds with one stone. He knew about Snape's Unbreakable Vow to Narcissa Malfoy, of course. Even if he hadn't been informed immediately by Bellatrix Lestrange, he would have known. Lord Voldemort did not relish Nagini's reaction when he told her the news. She was a confirmed wizard-hater. She didn't know why she distrusted everything male that carried a wand, but he did. Even altered and erased memories left an emotional response behind. It was a good thing she could not remember what he had done, had ordered Pettigrew to do, to ensure her absolute loyalty.

It was a pity those methods would not work on his Death Eaters.

Harry Potter felt his blood boil as he unpacked for the dreary final days he would spend at Privet Drive with the Dursleys. What had stirred his anger? The sight of his used potions book. Snape's book. The _murderer's_ book. He wondered where Snape would hide. _Most likely he's gone to ground wherever Voldemort is hiding._ Harry thought in frustration. _Keeping his precious slimy neck safe, the coward._ He let Hedwig out of her cage and gave her a brief note to take to Ron, and one for Hermione.

_I've arrived safely. Yes, I'm coming to the wedding. Do you know what I need to do about taking possession of my inheritance? Will we need a new Secret Keeper for headquarters? I'm well, all things considered. If they catch Snape, don't pack him off to Azkaban 'til I can have a go at him._

_Harry_

The Dursleys had been none to pleased about having to pick Harry up from King's Cross earlier than usual.

"Have you been expelled boy?" Uncle Vernon growled at him before letting him in the car.

"No" Harry said shortly.

"What's going on then?" was the suspicious reply, as soon as Harry was in the car.

"The Headmaster was murdered by one of the professors." Harry said bluntly.

"Not Dumbledore?" Aunt Petunia had asked cautiously. Harry nodded curtly.

"Did they catch him?" Uncle Vernon asked, suddenly sounding worried.

"No," Harry said, the fierce look on his face silencing the Dursleys "the stinking coward got away from me"

The "stinking coward" was at that moment having a bit of trouble sleeping. His bony frame couldn't seem to find a decent spot on the substandard mattress. _No matter. Tomorrow I won't have to put up with it again. I'll be sleeping in the best bed in this place, with the pleasantest possible company_.i If he'd been honest with himself, he would have admitted his sleeplessness had nothing to do with the quality of his mattress.

Draco Malfoy shivered, but not with cold, as he too looked out his window into the night sky. He thought of what Dumbledore had offered him. Safety for his family, and freedom from the master he no longer wished to serve. He had seen true evil now, and he wanted nothing to do with it. Taunting Mudbloods and tormenting Muggles was one thing, but murder and some of the other despicable things he had seen done were quite another. He looked at the thin sliver of moon wearily. _How long before someone finds out?_


	2. Here comes the Bride, in Green?

Chapter Two: Here comes the Bride, all dressed in….._green_?

Nagini sat in her spacious rooms, glowering in her vanity mirror. Snape had some nerve, asking for her like that, as if she was an object that could simply be handed over, like a sneakoscope or some piece of bric-a-brac. She'd show him! _The Dark Lord wants me to marry Snape, and I will do it, but Snape will keep his hands to himself unless he wants them bitten off, the nasty, slimy git. _He really was slimy, as he didn't wash nearly often enough. Even with the relatively dull senses she had in her human shape, she could smell him a couple yards off. Nagini grimaced_. I hope I will not have to resort to eating him. He is sure to taste absolutely foul and give me terrible indigestion. I suppose I could always wash him first if I needed to._

She admired her reflection as she prepared for the ceremony. Being angry suited her, she decided. There had never been a more beautiful bride, and there never would be. Even those fluffy headed veela were no competition. She had scorned white as a wedding dress color and instead chosen to wear a brilliant green silk that matched her eyes exactly. She was the Dark Lord's surrogate mother after all, and more than halfway into her first century, not twenty and marrying someone she cared more than a hill of Bertie Bott's about. She grinned suddenly, exposing her fangs. She'd only have to put up with Snape for a hundred years or so, then she could erect an outhouse on his grave if she liked. She sniggered at the thought. An outhouse for Muggles.

"You're looking more cheerful," the Dark Lord commented, entering her room without knocking, something that always irritated her. He knew it, too. She stood up, ready, literally, to face the music.

"It has occurred to me that as I am nearly immortal, marrying Snape is a minor inconvenience."

"That's right my dear" her master said comfortingly. His face grew serious as he took her arm. "An inconvenience I very much need you to endure. I am beginning to doubt his loyalty, and I need you to keep an eye on him."

"Just what level of treachery do you suspect?" Nagini asked in surprise, as they headed for the Dark Lord's feasting hall, where Snape and a corrupt wizarding official were waiting.

She didn't bother to whisper. There were no Parselmouths to overhear them. "Ambition" her master said darkly. "He may be plotting to take my place, if Potter should by some freak twist of fate defeat me."

"Over my dead body." Nagini said seriously. Her master smiled. "I know," he said. Nagini was beaming as her master led her up the aisle to where Snape and the judge stood.

Severus found the look on Nagini's face encouraging. He shouldn't have.

Snape looked entirely too smug for Nagini's taste. Without altering her expression in the slightest, she put her foot on the toe of Snape's boot and bore down hard.

To her disappointment, he made no sign of any discomfort. She continued to grind down on his foot throughout the ceremony. She doubted Snape was a serious threat, but she thought it wise to begin as she meant to continue. _I can treat him however I want _she gloated to herself _All I have to do is refrain from eating him without Master getting to interrogate him first. _Her opinion of Snape improved somewhat as he continued to bear the pain without a sound, or so much as a wince.

Severus was bewildered. _Is torture some kind of sadistic marriage ritual?_

Nagini probed Severus' mind while they sat together at dinner. His thoughts seemed to be centered on the pain in his foot, but Nagini knew it was a ruse. Snape had to be one of the greatest Occulumens wizardkind had ever seen--he'd fooled Dumbledore after all. Determined to learn what he was really thinking, she dug deeper. Unlike the legilimency used by wizards, her method was specific and informative.

Severus Snape carefully kept his thoughts safe and mundane. Constant vigilance was his motto. Mad--eye Moody wasn't the only one who was paranoid. He'd gotten this far, survived this long. He could do anything he liked now, have anything he wanted. He already had Nagini.

Nagini smirked. Snape was congratulating himself, the fool. All men were fools where her kind was concerned. They just couldn't seem to resist a beautiful creature that was half snake. Her power over men was more subtle than a veela's charm, but it was closer to absolute. A veela could make men do rather stupid things, but she could get a man to do what she wanted without damaging his intelligence.

She continued with what she thought of as picking his brain. Most of what she found was boring, but some of it was _quite _interesting. _"What's this? He's comparing me to Harry Potter's Mudblood mother!" _Nagini was outraged. "At _this very moment he's debating whether he likes my hair or hers better!"_ She fumed mentally. Ugly fire-red hair, or an elegant, long, black, shiny braid wrapped around the head then draped across a shoulder to nearly sweep the floor. "_It should be no contest."_

Severus was startled when he realized what Nagini was saying under her breath before each bite of food. "Lucius Malfoy" chew chew chew. "Goyle" chew chew chew "Avery" chew chew chew "The Fat Toad also known as Dolores Umbridge" chew chew chew chew chew.

Nagini reached a decision of her own as she ate. _If that slimy git decides he likes red better he'll be sleeping on the floor, not just on the other side of the bed. _"I wonder howgood a legilimens she is," Snape suddenly thought. Nagini choked on her extra rare steak. She had definitely underestimated him. Snape smirked as he magically cleared her throat.

"That's right," Severus whispered, too low for any but Nagini's keen, pointed ears to hear "You did. I've underestimated you as well, I admit. I knew you were a legilimens, but I didn't think you were that good." He paused and continued in a normal volume. "You know, most people don't assign the name of someone they don't like to every bite of food. It's a little immature."

"Actually" Nagini said honestly, "it's a time honored tradition. It reminds us of our goals in life". She smiled broadly, careful to display all four of her fangs.

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Really," he said calmly. "Any other cultural differences I ought to know about?" It was apparently Nagini's turn to smirk again.

"In our dialect of Parseltongue, there is only one word for both slave and husband," she said, her eyes gleaming strangely.

"I heard you were matriarchal," Snape replied blandly.

Nagini snorted. "Matriarchal? We make the Amazons look like meek, docile housewives."

"Oh?" Snape said skeptically.

"If you make me mad, I'll eat you," she said frankly. _Of course I'll have to wash you first. _Her statement seemed to give Snape pause, as it ought to have, being quite perfectly true.

"Does the Naga word for human bear any resemblance for the word for food?" he asked dryly.

"Yes. The word for human is a compound word that means 'food that thinks it's smart.' Wizards are called 'food that thinks it's smart enough to use magic.' Quite clever of you to guess at that, really."

Snape raised a thoughtful eyebrow, and remained silent, his desire for conversation apparently satisfied. _Or at least squelched._ Nagini thought smugly.

Chapter 3. Marital Bliss. Or Not.


	3. Marital Bliss, Or not!

Chapter 3. Marital Bliss. Or Not.

Severus was beginning to wonder if he'd made a serious mistake. On the way to Nagini's suite of rooms, she'd insisted on him walking _behind_ her! She'd ordered him to, in fact. Hoping to put her in a better mood, he complied, but he grumbled mentally. If he hadn't been so eager to please her, he would have refused to do any such thing. However, Severus really didn't feel like spending the first night of his honeymoon with her mad at him. His foot throbbed painfully the whole way down to her rooms.

Severus's possessions were piled haphazardly against the wall. He was sad to see how little space they took up. He'd been forced to leave most of his things at Hogwarts the night he…_the night I left_. He forced himself not to think about it.

He changed into his nightclothes. They were old ones he hadn't worn in years. Wormtail had brought them from his home on Spinners End. _My house_ he corrected himself mentally. That place had never been home. _No place ever has been. _he added glumly. He shook his head free of dark thoughts and turned to pleasanter things. Namely, Nagini.

She too had changed her clothes, into a dark green, heavy velvet nightgown. Nagini was sitting on the bed, staring off into space. He crawled into what was apparently his side of the bed.

"Not so fast, Snivellus" Nagini said, turning her head to fix him with a piercing stare.

"How do you know about that?' he demanded.

"An acquaintance of mine told me," she said dismissively. "Now, I want you to draw an imaginary line down the middle of this bed. Any part of you that crosses it will go back across again with four bite marks in it. Got it?"

"But…" Severus began.

"But what?" she asked dangerously.

"I mean, we are married. Aren't we supposed to…"

She cut him off. "I have a wonderful idea. A solution to your little problem."

"What?" Severus asked. He had a sinking feeling about her answer.

"Let's not and say we did."

_What have I done? _he thought morosely to himself. He realized he'd spoken out loud when Nagini replied acidly.

"Made the worst mistake of your life."

Draco and Narcissa listened, their pride stinging, as their new duties were outlined. They would live. _But, oh, what a life! _Narcissa thought. _Washing Snape's laundry, cooking his meals, taking orders from that creature! _

The last was definitely the worst. She had met Nagini while she was under Bella's tutelage. _She is absolutely insufferable. _Narcissa ground her teeth as she and Draco moved their pitiful amount of possessions to their new rooms, on either side of the _thing's_ suite of rooms. She had actually visited her quarters last night, to taunt her.

"I'll bet Lucius is sooo glad to be in Azkaban, where he doesn't have to look at you anymore. You do know he spends his 'business trips' _fishing_, don't you? I hear that his favorite spot has a particularly lovely nymph in residence. It really is amazing to me you managed to provide him such a handsome son." Nagini had said slyly.

"You keep your scaly hands off my son!" Narcissa had demanded. The thought had honestly frightened her. Nagini did have that sort of reputation.

Nagini had sniffed disdainfully. "I've no taste for coward, and I'm old enough to be his grandmother. Besides I'm getting married tomorrow. I'll have to be behaving myself from now on, as I imagine Severus is the jealous sort."

"Severus?" Narcissa had replied, stunned.

"Yes, Severus. Oh my, are you glad Lucius is in Azkaban, too?"

"No!" Narcissa had replied, her face hot with indignation at the very thought.

"Good!" Nagini had hissed venomously, "Because He Is Mine!"

"I thought you liked me," Severus groused over the breakfast Narcissa and Draco had brought. The two were both glaring at him, as if their servitude had been his idea.

"Whatever gave you an insane idea like that?" Nagini asked archly.

"You were always staring at me," Severus replied defensively.

"Now that is easily explained. You simply misinterpreted my motivation for staring. I assure you, it wasn't romantic interest."

"What was it then?" Severus asked, puzzled.

"Morbid fascination. You are the most singularly disgusting man I have ever had the misfortune to lay eyes on."

Severus ground his teeth angrily. "Ever, in all your vast twenty some years?" he retorted.

Nagini laughed, obviously genuinely amused. "Twenty and then some" she gasped.

Severus didn't have a clue what was so funny. He did know however, that he was being laughed at, something he could not tolerate. He decided to change the subject. "Where do you want me to put my things?"

"In the dustbin," Nagini answered in a reasonable tone.

Severus allowed himself a sigh of frustration. "What are we going to do today?"

"_We _are doing nothing. I am going to take a bath. _You_ can twiddle your thumbs for all I care."

agini had been quite accurate when she had stated only one activity for the day. She spent all day in there, even having Narcissa bring her lunch in to her. Severus suspected that Nagini would be annoyed by him exploring her rooms, but they were his as well now, and he did it anyway. He had some idea of spiting her by it. He would be spending most of his time in here. _Setting foot outside the Dark Lord's fortress would be tantamount to suicide just now. _

Nagini's suite was quite large. She had several large closets full of an incredible amount of clothing. There was a workroom, with potions equipment and cabinets full of ingredients. Severus was quite glad to see this. Twiddling his thumbs was all well and good for a day or two, but much longer than that and he would have trouble with boredom. He needed to keep his mind busy for other reasons, as well. Oddly, the workroom also contained an empty loom, and several large baskets of shiny black thread wound on wooden spools. He intended to make the space his. Those would have to go.

The bath and the toilet were thankfully not in the same room. Severus ignored the door that led to the combination sitting and dining room that they had eaten breakfast in that morning. The next door opened on a small indoor garden. Nagini apparently had a green thumb—there were a number of exotic, useful, and difficult to grow plants in the room. There was a deep fishpond in the center of the room, not inhabited by goldfish or coy, but by the sort of fish one would eat.

Severus didn't look too carefully; he had a deep aversion to water, hot or cold. He had nearly drowned in the bath as a child and had since restricted his washing to what could be done in a sink with a washcloth. He didn't bother with that often, either. He really didn't see the point.

The last door led to a small library, with woefully empty shelves. _I wonder if Nagini would mind if I put my books in here? _he wondered. He rather hoped she did mind, as he was going to put them there. Leaving some of his precious books behind at Hogwarts had been quite a blow. _At least Wormtail brought the ones from my house. Books are knowledge, and knowledge, power._


	4. Getting to know you

A/N: Harry Potter is not mine, nor is my reference to the wonderfull musical, the King and I.

Chapter 4. Getting to know you, getting to know all about you.

Nagini finished her bath, and carefully collected the hairs that had come loose from the pools she had used. Nagini considered bathing a recreational activity, and had chosen to live in this part of her Master's stronghold because of the luxurious baths it contained. The Lady that the ancient place had been built for had had very good taste in her opinion. The furnishings of the rooms, including the clothing, had been protected from time by some magic, and she had simply appropriated them, altering a few of the rooms for her own needs.

"I was beginning to wonder if you'd drowned in there," Snivellus said as she emerged from her bath, her damp hair draped across an arm to keep it off the floor.

"Highly unlikely," she replied "as I can breathe water as easily as air."

"Really?" Snape asked nosily, "Do you acquire gills when you go in the water, or…"

He broke off as Nagini fixed hum with her most menacing glare. What happened to her in the water was none of his business. She laid the hairs she had lost in the bath cross her vanity, and proceeded to brush the tangles out of her hair. Every hair that came out was carefully drawn from the hairbrush and laid with the others. It was suppertime when she'd finished and re-braided her hair.

"I'm going to put my equipment in your workroom," Snivellus announced over supper, "and my books in your library."

"Fine," Nagini snapped, "just stay out of my hair."

"The hair on your head or the hair by the loom?" he asked facetiously.

"Both," she said acidly

"Do you ever cut it?"

"Yes," she said shortly, "every couple of months."

"Just enough to keep it off the floor?" he stupidly assumed. He clearly hadn't paid attention in class, if Hogwarts even was advanced enough to have Nagas on the curriculum.

"Shoulder length, actually."

Snape looked puzzled for a moment. It took far too long for him to reach the obvious conclusion.

"Your hair grows very fast," he said stupidly.

"That's quite an understatement"

"I take it your hair is magical then, like with veela."

"Do not ever use that word in connection with me!" Nagini snarled. She hated veela.

Snape just smirked. He was obviously glad to have found a chink in her armor.

Nagini bathed again the next day, though she emerged well before lunch time.

"You bathe a lot." Severus commented as Nagini once again brushed out her hair from her bath, and laid the fresh hairs with the ones from the night before.

"It's called hygiene Snivellus, something you obviously aren't familiar with"

"I wash" Severus said defensively.

"I see." Nagini said. "So you deliberately apply grease when you're finished then?"

"No." Severus replied shortly.

"Could have fooled me" she said, smirking at him.

_At least I'm not obsessive compulsive_ Severus thought.

"I heard that!" Nagini snarled, smacking him on the back of the head.

It was his turn to smirk as she gagged, held her greasy hand out away from her, ran to the bathroom, and from the sound of it, began to scrub her hand vigorously.

When she was finished, Nagini carried her hairs to the workroom, sat on a bench, and began to wind the hair on a spool by hand. Severus followed and began to gather the materials and equipment for an experiment he'd been wanting to do for some time.

Some way into his work he noised that while Nagini was winding steadily, she hadn't' even finished with her first hair yet, and that she had a look of intense boredom on her face. He well knew that a bored Nagini was a bad thing. She and Bellatrix were quite good friends and had the same idea of a good time. Torturing someone. Severus really didn't want that someone to be him.

"I could just flick my wand and do that for you," he offered, somewhat condescendingly, s she really should have thought of it herself.

"Go right ahead," she said, without pausing in her work.

Nothing happened. Severus made a few attempts, then asked suspiciously, "Are you stopping me or is there some reason it doesn't work?"

"It just doesn't work; otherwise I would have taken your wand and done it myself."

"I thought you had your own," Severus said, nonplussed.

"No, I lost the last one I stole."

_Doing what? _Severus wondered. Apparently, Nagini's hair was resistant to magic. He wondered if it gave her any protection from curses and such. He noticed that Nagini was connecting her strands of hair together by pricking her finger and putting the ends in her green and red blood. They magically fused into one.

Severus desperately wanted to test the magical properties of Nagini's hair. "Could I have some of that?" he asked, careful not sound as if he particularly cared whether he got it or not.

"No, and if you steal any, I'll kill you with a darning needle in a vat of salty lemon juice."

At first Severus thought this threat was ludicrous, then he thought about how blunt darning needles were, and how much salt and lemon juice hurt on an open wound. It would be a long, painful death by torture. He was going to try stealing some anyway, tonight , while she was asleep.

"How do you come up with things like that to say?" Severus asked conversationally.

"In the bath. Try it sometime"

Severus added the last ingredient of his experiment and braced himself. Normally, what he had just done would result in an explosion in the hands of someone less skilled than he. He'd altered the procedure, guessing that it would have different results. He'd been right. There was a small bang, a small cloud of smoke, but no catastrophe.

"Have you ruined my cauldron?" Nagini asked angrily, getting up to peer curiously over his shoulder.

"Oh, I'll be able to get this out" Severus assured her.

"What is it?"

"Pure silver."

"That's supposed to be impossible."

"Not any more. At least for me," he said proudly.

"Hurrah for you, Snivellus" Nagini said sarcastically.

"Are you mocking my genius?" he asked hotly.

"Me, mock your non-existent genius?" She said in a scandalized tone. "But of course"

"Non-existent!" Severus exploded.

"Your miraculous achievement occurred entirely by accident, Snivellus. I am completely unimpressed. You could just have easily blown yourself up. I'm a bit disappointed actually."

"You wouldn't be sorry?" Severus asked in an aggrieved tone, trying to make her feel guilty for 'hurting his feelings'.

Nagini laughed cruelly. "The only people who would be sorry are Narcissa and Draco because they'd have to clean the bits of you up, and a few of your enemies who would be disappointed they didn't get to finish you off themselves."

Severus' stomach clenched unpleasantly. "At least I have enemies to be disappointed. You've eaten all of yours!" he retorted, realizing what she'd meant at their wedding supper.

"Thank you for the compliment." Nagini said sweetly.


	5. Severus and Sanctuary

Chapter 5. Severus and Sanctuary

That night, Severus waited until he was certain that she was asleep. This meant waiting until she began to snore, something he was sure she would never do if she were really awake. Though, as snores went, it was very ladylike and elegant. Severus lit his wand just enough to cast a dim light. In the light which emanated from the tip, he could see that a hair had come loose on her pillow.

Very cautiously, he reached for it. The moment his whole hand and crossed the center line of the bed, Severus gasped in pain and jerked it back. There were, just as Nagini had promised, four puncture wounds in his hand, just like bite marks. _What kind of curse did she use?_ he wondered, as his hand began to bleed copiously. _Obviously she used real venom,_ he added, as he wrapped his hand tightly.

Nagini watched gleefully the next morning as Snivellus tried to top the bleeding from his hand.

"I did warn you," she said cheerfully as he ate breakfast left handed. Snivellus glared at her.

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to tell me the antidote for your venom."

"Maybe. Let's see if you can figure it out on your own first."

"Right, I'll just sit here and bleed to death, then," he groused.

"What happened to the genius you were boasting of yesterday?" Nagini asked innocently.

"It took a team of healers a week to cure Arthur Weasley! There's only one of me!" he nearly shouted.

"Who's he?" Nagini asked curiously.

"The man you bit at the Ministry"

"Well, I'm afraid you're in no danger of bleeding to death, but I'll keep my fingers crossed for an infection."

"Thank you for those kind and reassuring words of comfort," Snivellus said sarcastically.

Nagini divided her time during the next few days between her garden and the baths. Snivellus, to her disgust, did not bathe once the entire time, though she gave him ample opportunity. He also had a disgusting habit of putting back on his clothes from the day before. Nagini had taken to having Narcissa change the bedclothes every morning. She could actually see the grey spot from grease on his pillow cases.

She was dangling her feet in the fish pond one afternoon when she heard him come up behind her.

"Did I give you permission to come in here?" she asked angrily, quickly pulling her feet out of the water.

"I've just realized that the last thing I need for that antidote is a Venomous Tentacula leaf."

"Clever Snivellus, you've figured it out," Nagini said patronizingly. "It only took you a week. Go ahead and take one, then get out of here."

"What is this," he asked caustically, struggling with her plant for a leaf, "your inner sanctuary or something?"

"Yes!" Nagini said impatiently, "And your greasy self is desecrating it! Get lost!"

Snivellus didn't move, which might have been unwise, considering the Venomous Tentacula was out for revenge.

"What are the fish for?" he asked nosily.

"I eat them!" Nagini shouted, finally losing her composure, "Now get out!"

"How do you like them cooked?" he asked stubbornly.

"Like this!" Nagini snarled irritably, reaching into the pond, seizing a fish, and biting its head off. Snivellus turned green as she chewed and swallowed. He eyed the body of the fish still wriggling in her hand queasily.

"Well that explains the fishpond," he said, pathetic in his attempt to sound casual.

"Are you going to leave?" Nagini asked.

"Not until I find out what I could do to get you to stop hating me."

Nagini sighed. _I could remove him forcibly, but I'd have to be half-snake to do it. I hate it when people see me like that. I suppose I just better answer. _ She considered her answer seriously as she finished her snack.

"If you bathed regularly, and I succumbed to insanity, I'd like you a lot better," she said honestly.

Snape turned on his heel and left. Nagini smirked. She'd hurt his pride, the only vulnerable part of him, just by being honest.

On the last day of their so-called 'honeymoon' he once again invaded her private space. She ignored him at fist, continuing to prune her miniature whomping willow.

"What!" she demanded finally, after his hollow black stare made her scalp prickle for longer than she could bear.

"If I took a bath,' he said quickly, "would you pretend no to hate me at the feast tomorrow night?

_Snivellus's pride seems to have over come his hatred of hygiene, at least temporarily._

She narrowed her eyes. "Just what would this pretense involve?" she asked suspiciously.

"Holding my hand, pleasant conversation, saying you enjoyed your honeymoon, a kiss in public, complementing my abilities…"

Nagini snorted. "Abilities? I don't think so." She considered the rest of the deal seriously. _Humiliate a dirty Snape at the feast , or be nice to a clean Snape at the feast? _ She made up her mind.

"No praise, no kiss," she stipulated, "and I'm the judge of whether you are clean enough or not!"


	6. Baths

A/N: Just a warning that there are some things a head that someone who has ever been assaulted/abducted may find somewhat disturbing. No one else should have a problem with them, but I don't want to trigger any flashbacks or anything. This chapter is perfectly skipable for anyone who may wish to do so. I've done my best to keep it light, but I do feel the incident is an important part of the plot. I PROMISE you will not be totally lost next chapter if you don't read this one.

Chapter 6. Baths

Immediately after lunch the next day, Severus gathered clean clothes, and walked into the bathroom feeling extremely apprehensive. He seriously regretted letting his pride get in the way of his sanity. _Whatever was I thinking? _

Severus was impressed by how luxurious the bathroom was. _It's no wonder a water loving creature would spend so much time in here. _He selected the shallowest pool sunk into the floor, and filled it halfway, to minimize his chances of drowning. He washed, paying careful attention to his hair, washing it three times to avoid the humiliation of being sent back to wash again by _her_.

He dressed, toweled his hair, combed it, and then looked into one of the many mirrors. He scowled ill-temperedly.

"What is the point," he growled at Nagini as she looked him over, "of spending so much time on grooming, when it doesn't make you look any better?"

"It'll do," Nagini said grudgingly. "To answer your question there are two points. First, it's a matter of self respect. Second, you might not look any better, but you smell better than usual."

Severus sighed, aggravated. He was glad his ordeal had resulted in some improvement, but she'd also just told him that he normally smelled bad. _As for self respect, am I sure I have any?_

Severus supposed it was pathetic to be somewhat excited at the prospect of holding Nagini's hand, but it was likely that was as far as he would ever get.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

She nodded and took his hand.

The feast itself was uneventful. Nagini seemed to tire quickly. "Do you mind if I go down to bed?" she asked him sounding anxious.

"Go ahead, I'll be along soon." Severus watched her get up, feeling a bit, was it wistful? _Too bad she won't pretend to like me when we're alone._

A man got up to follow her, rather too quickly. _ Come to think of it, he's been staring at her all evening._ Severus felt uneasy. _ Would she cheat on me? Is it any of my business if she does? _He suddenly felt an over powering urge to follow her. He hurried as silently as he could along the corridor. He came to a halt quickly, realizing his quarry was just around the corner.

"What do you want?" Nagini asked impatiently.

"Oh, I think you know what I want."

"I suppose I do," Nagini said wearily. "You can forget it. I'm married."

"Oh, I don't think he'll notice."

"Maybe not, but the answer is still no."

"I don't really care."

"How about I bite that swelled head off for you!" Her tone changed from disgust to anger. "I'm warning you, let go of me!" Severus rushed around the corner as Nagini let out one scream.

"Shut up!" the man hissed as he appareted them away. Severus had just enough time to draw his wand, but not enough to use it.

Nagini was putting up a good fight. Thanks to the iron bracelets the creep had conjured on her, she couldn't change shape. He'd also done a very good job instilling them with obedience inducing magic that only worked on a handful of magical species. He had however not done a perfect job. He was having to specify individual things she wasn't allowed to do to defend herself, and he had to word the sentences properly.

"AHHHHHHHHH! You may not spit venom in my face!#!$$! You may not use your fingernails as weapons!" he continued in this vein for quite some time.

Finally, Nagini had only one weapon left. She swallowed her pride.

"What the?..." her captor spluttered.

Nagini was waggling tongue and ears, with her eyes rolling wildly in her head. This distracted the creep for nearly two minutes. "You may not move except to breathe!" her captor finally shouted, once he had recovered his senses.

Nagini realized there was one more thing she could do. She pretended to fall asleep and began to imitate the truly awful snoring that had been disturbing her sleep recently. She couldn't get the way Snivvellus whistled though his teeth as he exhaled quite right. Mr. Nameless Abductor used the cruciatus curse on her for a few seconds, then forbade her to think of things to do that he wouldn't like. This was in fact, quite clever. Nagini was now helpless and terrified. She wasn't even allowed to shudder when the creep began playing with her hair.

Severus and the Dark Lord apparated into the room. The man was trying to escape out the window. It was mostly possible to apparate inside the fortress, but not in or out. Severus relaxed slightly. They had made it in time. He petrified him and brought his boot heel down on his nose and a couple slightly more tender places. The Dark Lord began "dealing" with the would be abductor. Nagini was curled up defensively. Severus picked her up and got her out as soon as he removed the ugly metal rings around her wrists. He'd read of a similar procedure for Djinn. Severus took her back to there rooms. At the door Nagini wildly struggled free of him and dashed into the arboretum. The last thing he heard from her was a loud splash.


End file.
